Appointment of New Executive Director – Canadian Race Relations Foundation

(Toronto – June 27, 2017) The Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) warmly welcomes Dr. Lilian Yan Yan Ma to the position of Executive Director, following her recently-announced Governor-in-Council appointment.

“We are very pleased that Dr. Ma has been appointed as Executive Director – the result of an open, transparent and merit-based selection process undertaken by the Government of Canada,” stated Albert Lo, CRRF Chairperson.

For the past thirty years, Dr. Ma has held senior positions in government and on administrative agencies and tribunals, involving matters of immigration and refugee status, social justice, landlord and tenant issues, public education, race relations, human rights and health.

Her career in the public sector was preceded by a brief private law practice. A member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, she has an LLB degree from the University of Toronto, where she graduated from the Faculty of Law. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 1994.

Prior to that, Dr. Ma was an accomplished research scientist, with many publications to her name. She was a National Research Council of Canada Scholar, and has a PhD degree in chemistry from Simon Fraser University.

Dr. Ma has given much of her time and service to many professional, academic and community organizations relating to civil and family law, access to justice, racial equality, ethnocultural relations and women’s rights.

She was also a founding Director and National President of the Chinese Canadian National Council, a founding Director and National Secretary of the National Organization of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women of Canada, and Founding President of the Minority Rights and Advocacy Council.

Dr. Ma was recognized for her service and achievements with many awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers, Excelsior Award by the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario, and Race Relations Award by the Urban Alliance on Race Relations.

The CRRF is also delighted to welcome as new members of the Board of Directors: Ashraf Ghanem – New Brunswick, Alicia Damley – Ontario, Gina Valle – Ontario, Rajesh Uttamchandani— Ontario, Emilie Nicolas – QC, and Roy Pogorzelski—Alberta.

“We respect their respective and combined breadth of experience, and look forward to working with Dr. Ma and the full Board as we propel the work of the CRRF towards Tomorrow’s Canada,” said Lo.

About the Canadian Race Relations Foundation

The Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) is a Crown Corporation dedicated to working towards the elimination of racism and all forms of racial discrimination. Its mission is to advance Canadian identity in the pursuit of positive race relations, equity, fairness, social harmony and dignity for all Canadians. The CRRF does this by providing independent, outspoken national leadership, informing national policies and public conversation, and acting as a resource and facilitator.